


Musical Hell Cycle

by SlySalamander_woot



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018), West Side Story (1961), Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: Best Friend Squad (She-Ra), Catra (She-Ra) Swears, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Hadestown References, Humor, Musical References, Musicals, Original Character(s), POV Catra (She-Ra), Singing, Swearing, barely Into the Woods, can you tell I love musicals?, hadestown - Freeform, just two of my favorite things, small amount of Chicago, small amount of Waitress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27829450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlySalamander_woot/pseuds/SlySalamander_woot
Summary: Catra blinked. She stared at a piece of paper and held a pen in her hand.“Dearest, darlingest momsie and popsicle…” Glimmer was sitting in a similar position on the other side of the bedroom. She wore a ridiculously frilly pink dress.“My dear father…” Catra’s mouth moved without her consent.“There's been some confusion over rooming here at Shiz.”They were singing? What the fuck was happening? Panic rose within her but was interrupted by her next line. “But of course I'll care for Nessa.” Who the hell is Nessa?
Relationships: Adora & Bow & Catra & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Musical Hell Cycle

**Author's Note:**

> Shera characters in my favorite musicals? Yes please! And why not? Fight me. These are a few of my favorite things. Anyway I hope you like it :)

Catra blinked. She stared at a piece of paper and held a pen in her hand.

“Dearest, darlingest momsie and popsicle…” Glimmer was sitting in a similar position on the other side of the bedroom. She wore a ridiculously frilly pink dress.

“My dear father…” Catra’s mouth moved without her consent.

“There's been some confusion over rooming here at Shiz.” 

They were singing? What the fuck was happening? Panic rose within her but was interrupted by her next line. “But of course I'll care for Nessa.” Who the hell is Nessa?

“But of course, I'll rise above it.”

“For I know that's how you'd want me to respond, yes,  
There's been some confusion for you see my roommate is…” 

Glimmer turned around and looked Catra up and down. “Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe…”

“Blonde.” Glimmer isn’t even blonde. “Huh?” For one moment, her mouth obeyed her and she shared a look of confusion with Glimmer but it melted away almost instantly. 

“What is this feeling, so sudden, and new?”

“I felt the moment I laid eyes on you….”

“....What is this feeling? Fervid as a flame, does it have a name? Yes............yes” They squared off at each other. “Loathing! Unadulterated loathing!”

“For your face,”

“Your voice,”

“Your clothing!” Catra glanced down at the plain black tunic that fell down to her feet. Glimmer had a point.

They circled each other, hating everything they saw and making an explicit effort to let the other know. In song form, for whatever unbearable reason.

“Dear Galinda you are just too good.” A swarm of people came out of nowhere and crowded around Glimmer. The bedroom had grown much bigger than any bedroom should be. The crowd bared down on Catra, aggressively singing about how much they hated her. Catra’s tail swished back at forth. The two girls harmonized and the chorus repeated their angry singing, their movements choreographed. The whole group held the last note and the music swelled before cutting off. 

Catra heard a single person clap. Rows and rows of red chairs stretched to her left and in one of them sat a man.

“Not too bad, not too bad. Great work ensemble.” He wore in a stuffy green turtleneck and round glasses. “Leads! Where is the enthusiasm?”

Catra realized she had control of her body again. She crouched to leap at the man but–

“Oh, no no no no, none of that please! That’s most unprofessional!” Catra was rooted to the spot.

“Who are you?” Glimmer shouted.

“Okay, let’s just try another scene.” He crossed his legs and flipped through the binder on his lap. “Here, and give me some emotion this time.”

“Hands touch, eyes meet,  
Sudden silence, sudden heat….” Catra stared across the stage as she sang. Adora! She and Glimmer gazed at each other intently, their hands wound together.

“....Don't dream too far, don't lose sight of who you are,  
Don't remember that rush of joy.  
He could be that boy,  
I'm not that girl” What was this song? The lyrics rattled around in her head longer than she cared to admit. She finished the lament and Glimmer and Adora giggled into the wings.

“Okay okay okay.” The man in the audience pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy sigh. “It’s...better...Lead. Uhh...name?”

“Catra,” was the only word she could growl.

“Catra, right! Catra….I’m still not feeling it. You need to work on getting in character! I mean, this is basic stuff!” Double Trouble would get along just swimmingly with this prick. “Try No Good Deed, but start at the bridge. Everyone else, just hang tight!”

“....One more disaster I can add to my  
Generous supply?”  
Ignoring the lyrics as best she could, Catra stole glances to the wings where her friends were. They had to get out of this. It was obviously some kind of magic that allowed this guy to control them. She tried to remember what she was doing before this absurdity started but drew a blank.

“....My road of good intentions  
Lead where such roads always lead  
No good deed  
Goes unpunished!” The music grew quiet as Catra sank to her knees in the middle of the stage.

“Okay, thank you orchestra.” The man stared Catra in the eye for a long time. She glared back. “Let’s just try something completely different. This isn’t working.”

He snapped his fingers.

-

Red light spilled over them. A crowd of men gathered around Bow and Melog. They circled each other. Melog growled and Bow held a small knife in his hand. 

Catra struggled against the two men gripping her arms. “Somebody stop them!” she shrieked.

The music was erratic as Bow and Melog fought. They clashed and spun, dancing through the moves until Bow pounced, sinking his knife into Melog’s chest.

“NOO!” Catra broke free of the mens’ grasp and rushed to their side. Melog looked at her, a stunned expression on their face. Their eyes drifted from the knife, to her hand, and to her face before falling limp. Catra saw Melog breathing, but her body moved as if she had just watched her best friend die in her arms. She took the knife from Melog’s chest and rushed at Bow, cutting deep into him. 

Chaos erupted from the men around her as Bow fell to the ground. They pulled out chains and bats and flew at each other. Catra was hit hard in the jaw and a man in a tattered purple shirt laid his fists into her stomach. He only stopped when a siren pierced through the brawl, scattering the men in all directions.

“Amazing!” The man in the turtleneck stood. “Great job everyone, excellent work with the choreo. Let’s skip to Somewhere. Catra, I’m watching.”

“Then I’ll take you away, where nothing can get to us! Not anyone, or anything.” Catra unwrapped herself from Adora and stared into her bright blue eyes. They were puffy from crying and Catra’s heart ached at the sight, even though she knew in her head it wasn’t real.

“There's a place for us   
Somewhere a place for us  
Peace and quiet and open air  
Wait for us somewhere” She wiped the tear from Adora’s cheek and waited for a response.

“There's a time for us  
Someday a time for us  
Time together with time to spare  
Time to learn, time to care, someday!”

Catra dragged her hand up and down Adora’s exposed arm. “Somewhere, we'll find a new way of living” 

“We'll find a way of forgiving, somewhere”

She pulled Adora to her feet, maintaining eye contact. They sang together, an octave apart. “....Hold my hand and we're halfway there  
Hold my hand and I'll take you there  
Somehow, someday, somewhere”

“Okay, keep going.” The man’s voice made Catra’s blood boil.

There was a knocking at the door and Catra heard Glimmer’s muffled voice. Adora shooed Catra onto the fire escape, promising to meet her at the drugstore. She kissed Adora through the window before leaping down. 

She landed in the wings next to Bow. “What’s happening?” she hissed over Glimmer and Adora’s onstage argument.

“I don’t know,” Bow said through his teeth.

“HEY! If you’re gonna be in the wings you have to be silent!”

Catra’s mouth clamped shut of its own accord and her eyes snapped to the stage where Glimmer and Adora were mid song.

“A boy who kills cannot love,  
A boy who kills has no heart.  
And he's the boy who gets your love  
And gets your heart.  
Very smart, Maria, very smart!” Glimmer paced around Adora.

Catra took the opportunity she had to plot an escape from this musical hell cycle. Did this guy really expect them to enjoy themselves? She wondered what was backstage, but couldn’t turn her head to see.

“Oh no, Anita, no!” Adora’s voice soared high above where Glimmer’s had been and caught Catra’s attention. Adora pleaded the melody, it was heartbreaking. “….But my heart, Anita,  
But my heart  
Knows they're wrong!”

“Wonderful! You can stop there. Great job Blondie. Shimmer, I want to try something out with you.” The man’s hold on Catra slacked and she turned toward the doorway but wasn’t fast enough. He snapped his fingers.

-

The stage was dark and empty save one spotlight that illuminated Glimmer. She wore a blue waitressing uniform and stood in front of a kitchen counter.

“Make it work, make it easy  
Make it clever, craft it into pieces….” She was singing about baking, how fitting.

Catra felt a hand slip into hers and turned to see Adora standing next to her. Catra opened her mouth, thought better, and closed it again. She was in control, and she intended to keep it that way. Instead, she pulled Adora away from the stage toward the doorway. Adora nodded and followed, careful to step lightly. They slipped through the door and ran straight into Bow. He was watching Glimmer perform. The door just led to the other side of the stage! 

Catra clenched her jaw, and Adora squeezed her hand reassuringly. She looked at Adora, trying to convey her frustration without words. Adora understood. She squeezed again. It was true, they didn’t seem to be in any danger. This was just annoying as hell. Catra sighed and gazed at Glimmer as she sang about her mother and baking. Glimmer was steeped in the song, reveling in it as if it offered her some sort of release.

“Awesome job Shimmer! You’re off the hook.”

“Uh, it’s Glim–”

“Shush shush. Catra! You’re up, and don’t think I didn’t notice you sneaking around.” The man snapped his fingers again.

-

“Come on, babe, why don't we paint the town?  
And all that jazz”

Catra was standing on top of a piano, garders pinching her thighs. In front of her a mess of scantily clad people were draped over chairs and each other. Their movements were precise and calculated as Catra sang. She spotted Adora among the group and heat rose to Catra’s cheeks.

“Stop. You should be empowered! Not embarrassed.” The man sighed and snapped again.

-

They were in a forest. Catra was stuffed into a dress and wore golden slippers.  
“No, sorry. I don’t have the stamina for Sonheim right now.” Snap.

-

“I was alone so long  
I didn't even know that I was lonely  
Out in the cold so long  
I didn’t even know that I was cold” Catra stared at Adora, her heart pounding. She wanted more than anything to melt into her arms, but she pulled away, always just out of reach as she sang. 

“You take me in your arms  
And suddenly there's sunlight all around me  
Everything bright and warm  
And shining like it never did before” It was true. The words weren’t hers, but they might as well have been. She fixated on those bright blue eyes and her heart skipped a beat. Ugh. She was such a sucker. They sang together, their harmonies fitting perfectly together as Catra fit perfectly into Adora’s embrace.

Adora gazed intently into Catra’s eyes. “I'm gonna hold you forever  
The wind will never change on us  
Long as we stay with each other”

She joined her for the last line. “Then it will always be like this”

“That is exactly what I’m talking about! This is one of my favorites and you completely sold me on your love. Don’t think you’re finished yet, though,” He grinned and leaned back in his seat.

“Lover, when you feel that fire  
Think of it as my desire  
Think of it as my desire for you!” Bow and Glimmer stood over a factory, workers chanting below them. Adora’s voice pierced through the crowd, crying a beautiful wordless melody. 

Catra followed her, trying to keep up, but was always just out of reach. “Looking high and looking low  
For the food and firewood I know..." She couldn't catch Adora's attention.  
"....Tryin' to trust that the song he's working on is gonna  
Shelter us  
From the wind the wind the wind.” 

Adora was so far away, almost lost in the crowd. “They can't find the tune.”

“Orpheus!” A man in a silver suit shouted.

“They can't feel the rhythm” Adora was oblivious, too caught up in whatever tale she was spinning.

“Look up!” But she didn’t. 

Catra watched, powerless. The chanting grew louder. Three women surrounded her, taunting her, and stole her backpack. “Orpheus!”

“Every year, it's getting worse  
Hadestown, hell on Earth!...” Glimmer stared at Bow, a mix of disbelief and pleading on her face as she sang. “....The harvest dies and people starve  
Oceans rise and overflow  
It ain't right and it ain't natural”

Catra didn’t dwell on their interaction. She searched frantically for Adora. Her stomach ached and the wind stung her face.

“Low, keep your head, keep your head low” The chanting filled Catra’s ears. She could hear Adora’s song but it was distant.

“Shelter us!” Catra cried.

“Think of them as my embrace” 

Bow’s sinister tones was overtaken by Adora’s melody. “La la la la la la la…”

“Harbor me!”

“Think of them as my embrace  
Of you.” The music stopped.

“Yes yes yes! There it is again!” Catra watched the man stand as he clapped. “You see what I mean right? I can feel the desperation! Alright, let’s do Wait for Me, I-I honestly can’t wait.” He smirked at his own joke.

“The dog you really got to dread  
Is the one that howls inside your head  
It’s him whose howling drives men mad  
And mind to its undoing”

Catra and Adora held each other’s hands. “Wait for me, I'm comin'  
Wait, I'm comin' with you….”

The workers chimed in around them, asking for guidance, believing in the two of them. Catra’s heart filled with hope. They had a long road ahead, but she had Adora and Adora had her.

Glimmer and Bow watched from the side. “Hades, you let them go.”

“I let them try,” Bow answered.

“And how 'bout you and I? Are we gonna try again?”

“It's time for spring. We'll try again next fall”

Glimmer smiled “Wait for me?”

“I will” He smiled back.

Adora held onto Catra as the whole group sang together. “Wait for me, I'm comin'  
Wait, I'm comin' with you  
Wait for me, I'm comin' too  
I'm comin' too!”

“DARIUS!” A woman’s voice crashed through the scene. The music stopped, the set disappeared, and they were standing in a large cave. Memory flooded back to Catra. The guy in the turtleneck was one of those goddamn imps they had just released.

“Sure, sis, just interrupt one of the best songs in the whole musical, why don’t you?” The imp rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. 

“What are you doing to these people?” Her long brunette hair rolled down her shoulders.

“We are in the middle of a performance, Naomi!” His commanding presence disappeared, replaced by childishness.

“A performance these people didn’t ask for!”

“I’ve been crammed in that fucking bottle for a millinia, starved of any kind of real art and you expect me to just go about my day?”

“Well it’s thanks to these people that you’re free! Controlling them isn’t the best ‘thank you!’”

“Pfft. They had fun,” he smirked at Catra. She scowled back at him but could feel her cheeks go red. 

“Agh! Stop it!”

Naomi clutched her brother's ear and turned toward Catra and her friends, who were still adjusting to the dramatic shift in setting. “I’m very sorry for my dimwitted brother–”

“I’m not dimwitted!” Catra stifled a giggle as the imp struggled in vain against his sister’s grip.

“–But I think it’s safe for me to speak for all of us imps when I say thank you for freeing us.”

“Oh–uh, you’re welcome,” Adora stuttered. She glanced at Catra awkwardly.

“Well, we’ll leave you alone now.” And with that, she and her brother disappeared.

The four of them stood still for a moment, staring at the space the two beings had just vanished from.

Catra broke the silence. “Thank the stars that’s over.”

Adora chuckled and nudged Catra. “Come on, you enjoyed it.”

**Author's Note:**

> Here are the songs in case you're wondering.  
> Wicked:   
> "What is this Feeling?"  
> "I'm Not that Girl"  
> "No Good Deed"
> 
> West Side Story:  
> "The Rumble"  
> "Somewhere"  
> "A Boy Like That/I Have a Love"
> 
> Waitress:  
> "What Baking Can Do"
> 
> Chicago:  
> "All That Jazz"
> 
> Hadestown:  
> "All I've Ever Known"  
> "Chant"  
> "Wait for Me (Reprise"


End file.
